Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If everybody is interested in sorting out the issue, which I expect they are, and if people are serious, the opportunity presents itself to sit down and start to talk about the problems, both from a management and trade union point of view. The Expressway service is not subsidised. The Minister, through government, has increased the subsidy through the public service obligation, PSO, levy for subsidised routes, which is what the PSO is for. However, the commercial end of Bus Éireann, the Expressway route, is losing money - €6 million each year and the figure will increase. Should we endorse this or look at the issue and say we think it is a very good idea? Nobody does this and the travelling public do not want that either. If we are serious about sorting out this issue, people must sit down, negotiate and talk about the issues.

My understanding is that the company is developing a new plan which it hopes will restore Bus Éireann to a sustainable future. As part of this path to viability, negotiations between the trade union and management are crucial, as they are in all these cases and as Deputy Adams is well aware. The nub of the issue is that there is a commercial problem which requires a commercial answer. It will not be sorted out by talking over the media. People will have to sit down together, look at the issues, identify the options and make decisions. We thank all the drivers for the work they do, as well as those in bus management, in transporting more than 20 million passengers every year. This is a very important service and we want to see it continue.

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